JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – After defeating UCA at home this past Wednesday, the Dolphins (#4E) traveled to take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (#1W) in the ASUN Quarterfinals. The Dolphins showed resilience down the stretch, but the Gamecocks' offense was too much to overcome as JU's season came to a close, dropping the contest 56-70.
The first quarter set the precedent for how the game would play out as the Dolphins scored just seven points on 25% shooting from the field. Although JU would come out of the first only down six, the momentum was full swing in JSU's favor and would carry into and throughout the second quarter. Once again, JU would be a minus-six in the quarter, deepening their deficit to twelve at half-time.
The last time these two teams met, JSU came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, after leading in a similar fashion in half one. The story would repeat, almost identically, as the Gamecocks scored 21 points on 37.5% shooting. However, their ability to get to the free-throw line against JU again would be a key difference-maker. The Dolphins would send the Gamecocks to the line eight times, where they would score all eight times as opposed to the 0-4 that the Dolphins experienced at the line in quarter three.
JU outscored the Gamecocks by eleven over the final ten minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the lead JSU established over the first thirty. Shynia Jackson led the scoring for the Dolphins, scoring seventeen points and grabbing seven rebounds in her 37 minutes played. Following closely behind was Taylor Hawks, scoring fifteen herself while adding five rebounds and three assists to her line. Six of the eight players who stepped onto the court scored at least five points in the final game.
The Dolphins finish the season at 16-13, winning twelve more games than the previous season. With many key players graduating, it will be an important offseason for the coaching staff to continue this progression in the coming years.
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